Ryuhei Maruyama on Boys on the Run

Interview with Kanjani8’s Ryuhei Maruyama in Yomiuri Shimbun, published on July 23.

He does not stand out at work, and none of the ladies go for him. He has low self-esteem and gets stomach cramps when he gets too nervous. Tanishi is a typical worthless man character, the complete opposite to a Johnny’s talent. But the pop star who plays Tanishi says there is a bit of the Tanishi inside of him.

He says he cannot get used to being under pressure. There are even times where he has forgotten his lines during stage musical performances and has played the wrong music during concerts. But it is these experiences the Johnny’s talent is channeling into his portrayal of Tanishi.

“Tanishi admits to his mistakes, and moves forward. The way he struggles is something I can relate to. He has more power than you’d expect. When I’m acting him I overdo his expressions, so when he runs, I run with everything I have.”

With one regular Kanjani8 TV series, and his first lead role in a drama series, things seem to be getting better for Maruyama, but according to the talent that is not good enough.

“There’s no point in ‘you’re becoming popular’, it’s more important to keep that popularity constant. You have to work as hard as you can, even if you lose sometimes. It’s about aiming higher.”

Facing harsh reality with his head up high, it almost makes you want to give him an extra push as you watch him confront another wall in life.

Q: If you weren’t in showbiz, what do you think you would be doing right now?

A: My parents are Japanese drum makers so I’d probably be making drums. But I’ve been doing this job since I was 13 and there’s nothing that could substitute for it. I’ll do my best to avoid getting fired.

Q: What is something you always carry with you?

A: This silver ring I bought at the end of last year. Sometimes I’ll look at it and think, “right, let’s do this”. It’s my lucky charm.

Q: What do you want to do this summer?

A: Go on a family vacation. And have a party with this drama’s team. I want to drink and have a good time acting like an idiot.

Q: What’s your favourite manga?

A: Lately I’ve gotten into reading Inio Asano’s “おやすみプンプン (Oyasumi Pun-pun)”. The drawings are funny, but they have a lot of character.